Process of producing low-carbon, low-silicon titanium alloys.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK M. BECKET, 0F NIAGARA ,EALLs, NEW YORK, AssIeNoR 'ro ELEc'rRoMETALLURGICAL COMPANY, acoRPoRArIoN or WEST VIRGINIA.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING LOW-CARBON, LOW-SILICON TITANIUM ALLOYS.

941,553. No Drawing.

in Processes of Producing Low-Carbon, Low-Silicon Titanium Alloys, ofwhich the following is aspecification.

When ores of titaniumand an alloying metal are reduced by carbon in anelectric furnace, the resulting titanium alloyv contains a largeproportlon of-carbon. Ferrotitanium high in carbon isnot a desirablealloy for usein the production or certain titanium st-eels; If, however,silica be added to the charge, the silicon reduced simultaneously withthe titanium acts as a carbon-exeluding agent and a low-carbonhigh-silicon alloy may be produced.

According to the presentprocess, a titanium alloy low in carbon andhigh'in silicon is subjected to an oxidizing reagent for the productionof an alloy low in 'or substantially free from silicon. For example, the

duced by electrically smelting a charge containing oxide of titanium andsilicon, carbon and asource of iron, is finely crushed and mixed withiror 'oxid and the mixture is subjected to a temperature suiiicient toefiect the oxidation of silicon in the alloy with simultaneous reductionof the iron oxid,the reduced iron alloying with the ferro-titanium. Theiron oxid, for example hematite ore, may be added directly to the moltenhighsilicon alloy, either in the reduction furnace or in a separatevessel into which the alloy is tapped.

Iron oxid. is a desirable reagent for removing t e silicon fromterm-titanium, since it intro u'ces no new constituent into the alloy.Oxids of other metals, reducible by silicon and alloy-able withfarm-titanium, may obviously be employed.

The alloys produced by thisprocess preferably contain titanium in excessof ten per cent, carbon not in excess of five per cent,

' and silicon not in excess of five per cent. A

product containing about 30% of titanium and 2% of carbon, substantiallyfree from silicon, may be made by reacting with ferricoxid on an initialalloy "containing about 50% of titanium, 40% of silicon, 3% of car-Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June '12, 1907. Serial No. 378,580.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

bon' and 7% of iron. .A product containing 30% of titanium and 5% ofcarbon, substantially free from silicon, may be similarly of iron.

I claim:

, 1. The process of producing low-silicon a loys, which consists inproducing titanium a high-silicon titanium alloy and oxidizing out thecontalned s1l1con.

2. The process of producing low-silicon I titanium alloys, whichconsists in producing ah-igh-silicon titanium alloy and oxidizing "outthe contained silieon by an oxid of the alloyed metal.

3. The. process of producing low-silicon term-titanium, which consistsin producing hlgh-sihcon ferro-titanlum and oxldlzlng low-carbonhlgh-slhcon'ferro-tltanium proout the contained silicon by means of ironoxid.

4. The process of producing low-carbon, low-silicon, ferro-titanium'which consists in producing high-silicon ierro-titanium by smeltinga'mixture of oxide of titanium and silicon, carbonand a source of iron,and oxidizing out the contained silicon.

5. The process of producing low-carbon, low-silicon, ferro-titaniumwhich consists in producing high-silicon i errotitanium by smelting amixture of oxids of titanium and silicon, carbon and a source of iron,and

